HITS Triathlon Series: Lake Havasu City - Olympic Course - TriathlonOlympic


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Lake Havasu City, Arizona
United States
HITS Triathlon Series
48F / 9C
Sunny
Total Time = 2h 56m 19s
Overall Rank = 26/58
Age Group = Clydesdales
Age Group Rank = 1/1
Pre-race routine:

This was an event that both Jenna and I have been looking forward to for a year. HITS offers 'a distance for everyone' and when I looked at the race site, I saw that they had a shorter event called the Open. I thought that the distances were ones that Jenna might be interested in trying as a first race. I also checked with HITS to see if I could race the Olympic in the morning and join her in the afternoon for the Open. They said it would be no problem, so we made plans to do the Open together.

As the race neared, I knew that it would also be my final opportunity to race as a Clydesdale. They also had two Clydesdale divisions, one for people under 40 and one for over. While I wasn't thinking that I would win the division outright, I at least wanted to try to be competitive. After reviewing the course, I didn't think there was a way I could break my Olympic best time, but I felt that if I raced well, I could come in between three hours and 3:15. The hilly profile of the course and the weather forecast of extremely cold morning temperatures did not bode well, but I resolved to make the best of it.

On race morning, I stepped outside and, while chilly, it wasn't as brutally cold as I was expecting. I had a couple of pastries at the Days Inn breakfast area. We made the decision for me to go alone so that Jenna could stay with Barkley - she would drive down to the site later to participate in the Open. I got dressed, got on the bike and rode to the site. I was there and set up in no time. Even though it was unseasonably cold at 45 degrees, I didn't really start to feel it until I was done setting up and waiting for the start.
Event warmup:

In addition to the short ride (which was great because it woke up my legs and I was able to check the bike over one last time), I was able to get into the water in a buoyed off area near the start. This gave me an opportunity to get used to the water temperature, get the wetsuit on properly, and get my breathing down and under contol prior to the race.
Swim
  • 35m 12s
  • 1640 yards
  • 02m 09s / 100 yards
Comments:

Since I had an opportunity to warm up, I started the race very comfortable. Even in training, after a few hundred yards, I feel some fatigue that I push through and I am okay. The issue is that in an open water swim, this fatigue sets in while the race is going on and I have to pause to calm myself. I was able to get that out of the way before the start in this case, which helped immensely.

I just wanted to settle in and swim as smoothly as possible. When I try to push, especially in open water, my breathing gets out of control and I am only marginally faster. I cruised to the first turn, trying to stay away from other people. It was a very low stress swim, since the water was shallow and the bottom was visible. After the second turn, it was almost so shallow that you had to stand up. Even though I didn't, this was very conducive to my comfort level.

I finished the first loop (you actually had to exit the water and run around a bouy) and checked my time - 17 minutes so far - great news! Just do it again and I am off to a great start for the day. While I could see a lot of people spacing out in front of me, I knew I wasn't too far behind them, and there were a number behind me as well.

I completed the second loop around the same as the first and checked my time - 35 minutes. Perfect! While this wasn't officially a PR swim, it was by far my best time in a lake, and the best I have done in a (full length) Olympic (note: River swims have been faster: I was faster at a current aided shorter swim in Cincinnati and in a current aided 1/2 in Knoxville). The day couldn't have gotten off to a better start.
What would you do differently?:

Not a thing - I was extremely happy with the swim - low stress and a decent pace
Transition 1
  • 03m 33s
Comments:

This was a very efficient transition, especially considering the conditions. The wetsuit came off pretty quickly, so that part went well. With the air temperature still being below 50, I had considered either arm warmers or a jacket for the bike. I ultimately decided to skip them and just go with the tri suit. This decision saved some time and likely helped my time on the bike as well (more aerodynamic). The stools provided by HITS in the transition area were great! I prefer to sit down to put on my shoes, and having a place to sit was great. It was even better on this particular day because my feet were numb from the chilly water. (I wasn't relishing the idea of getting back in the water later without a wetsuit, but figured we would make the best of it).
What would you do differently?:

Nothing - this was a decent transition.
Bike
  • 1h 16m
  • 24.8 miles
  • 19.58 mile/hr
Comments:

Even though I had studied the course elevation profile, we drove the course on Saturday to check it out. The way out was mostly uphill with a lot of rolling. Fortunately, there was nothing so steep or sustained that it was cause for too much concern. There were a lot of turns, which would break any downhill momentum, but it would be a challenging, fair course. I knew that if I exercised patience on the way out, I could push on the way back if I wanted.

The loop around the island was fairly flat and allowed me to settle into my pace. The sun was up and I didn't notice the cool air temperature after a couple of miles. I crossed the bridge and into the city knowing that the uphills were going to start. At every opportunity, I tried to pick up some momentum on the downhills to assist with getting partially up the next hill. I was getting the gearing down better than usual and keeping a decent cadence. The hills, while noticeable, weren't so steep that I needed all of my gearing, and were not so sustained that they resulted in a long grind at a low cadence. I just had to find the right combination to keep my legs moving. I was picking off some other riders and counting down the miles to the turnaround. I got to it and knew that it would be mostly downhill all the way back.

The way back was fun. I didn't pick up too much speed on the downhills due to the need to turn at the bottom, but I felt I was making good time. I thanked every volunteer and police officer as I went through the intersections, and waved to other riders coming in the other direction. It was one of the less crowded races I have done, so there were times that there wasn't anybody in front of or behind me. This is usually bad news because it usually means that you are way behind the field. However, the steady stream of people coming from the other direction reassured me that I was in the thick of things and motivated me to keep pushing.

I got back through the city and crossed London Bridge. Since it was Veteran's Day and I was having fun with the course, I gave the flags on the bridge a quick salute as I crossed. I managed to pass a few more people on the loop around the island before making my way into transition. I hadn't pushed the bike too hard, and felt like I had enough left to put in a decent run. The good day I was having continued.

I knew I had had a good ride, but I was surprised when I saw the results. I had finished the bike 10th overall out of a field of 58. A great finish for me, especially considering the hills and wind (10-15 mph) - both of these factors usually hit me hard.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing - I really enjoyed the course and the way I rode it. I also felt like I held back enough to have a good run.
Transition 2
  • 01m 51s
Comments:

Very efficient - noticed that my feet were still numb from the swim. Once again, thankful for the stool provided by HITS...
What would you do differently?:

Nothing - in and out pretty quickly.
Run
  • 59m 42s
  • 6.2 miles
  • 09m 38s  min/mile
Comments:

Being in the midst of training for a 1/2 marathon, my running fitness is in relatively good shape right now. I also had a PR run at Malibu in September, so I hoped that despite the stairs I would be able to turn in a good run and maybe even a PR for an Olympic.

I headed out on the path to the canal and felt pretty good except for my feet, which were still numb from the swim and the wind chill of the bike. The first set of stairs woke up my legs a little bit and they reminded me that they had already been through a lot today. On the stair crossing and under the bridge, my Garmin lost contact, so I knew that I would be a little blind with data. Thankfully, I had my Timex watch keeping track of my splits and overall so I could assess progress.

I passed the first aid station and found that they had either water or Heed. I am not a big Heed fan, so I stuck with water. The advantage to this is that I only slowed down for one cup at each station, rather than the water and sports drink that I usually take - this saved me time. On the out, there were some other people coming the other way, but not many in front of me. I did get passed by one woman - I congratulated her on her pace, since I was having a good run and she was flying by. Other than that, though, I wasn't getting a steady stream of people passing me after the bike, which was a good sign.

I resisted checking my watch until I hit the turnaround. I knew I was running pretty well and didn't want to demotivate myself if my pace wasn't as good as I thought. I made the turn and looked - I was a little under 30 minutes, which would be not only a PR, but would also be my first 10k under an hour if I kept the pace up. Motivation received. A couple more people passed me on the way back - I praised them as well. I was now seeing a stream of people coming the other way, which was good. We encouraged each other with the obligatory 'good job's and 'way to go's. Of all of the races I have done, there seemed to be more encouragement between racers in this one - it was a nice touch and made the miles pass by more quickly.

I finally got to the bridge again. The stairs hurt, but I tried not to let them slow me down too much close to the end. Since my Garmin distance was off, I wasn't entirely sure how much time I had to get in under one hour for the run. I was also closing in on sub-3 hours for the event, which would be a milestone as well. Had to keep pushing. I rounded the last corner knowing that I was going to make it - I cruised in having met both of these goals.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing - I ran better than I ever had in an Olympic.
Post race
Warm down:

First, the numbers - I was really happy when I looked over the results and did my normal analysis and comparison. My sub-3 hour finish time was my best for a full length Olympic (the swim in the Cincinnati Tri was short). I finished in the top half of the overall field (26th out of 58). My swim was a PR for an Olympic in a lake (my only other faster swims were in rivers with currents aiding me). My bike split was 10th overall, and my run was not only a PR for an Olympic distance, but was also my first 10k in under an hour - a big milestone for me.

I received my finisher medal, grabbed a water bottle and half of a bagel and headed back to transition. I called Jenna to let her know I was done and to see when she would be arriving for the Open. Yes - I was about to do this all over again, but this time with my wife in her first event. As well as my race had gone, hers was the more important one and the one I was looking most forward to. It was a little tricky changing all of my numbers for the second event. My calf ended up with two sets of numbers and each arm had a different number on it. I had to switch the numbers on my bike, helmet, and bib as well. It was kind of funny, and the race photographer even took a picture of the calf.

After the numbers were taken care of, I asked if we could go to the awards area. Out of curiosity, I asked what the winning time was for the Clydesdales. She pulled out the results sheet and as I heard her read the time, I saw my name and realized that it was mine. As it turned out, I was the only registered Clydesdale, so I won the division by default. Normally, I would say this a little sheepishly - however, I am happy with my performance in this one and feel that it was a 'winning' performance, even if I literally backed into the award. I happily accepted the plaque and got a picture.

We returned to the transition area and got Jenna ready for her race. We had a great time and she completed her event. I couldn't be more proud of her. It was great talking about it in detail later that night and on the way home. I picture us someday in our 80s saying things like, 'Remember that time we did the triathlon together?'. It was a great time and a great experience. I could say more about the Open, but it was really her race and her story. I look forward to seeing how she tells it in her race report. (edited to add - okay - I do have to tell one story that will likely only be amusing to other triathletes, but I will tell it anyway. As we were coming back on the run path toward the finish, we saw a tattoo parlor. She joked about stopping and getting a tattoo. I asked her if she was planning to get an M-Dot. For those not familiar with triathlon, the M-Dot is a symbol that represents Ironman racing, and for many, getting the tattoo is a rite of passage when one completes an Ironman distance race. Now that I have typed it out, it is probably one of those 'you had to be there' stories, but I will leave it in. We both found it funny at the time, and it cut the tension as she was looking forward to getting the event done.)

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Nothing - I finally had a race where I put it all together and raced each segment as I expected and wanted to.

Event comments:

HITS did a fantastic job with both the Olympic and the Open. They included a lot of perks that most races don't, like the stools in transition, tattoo race numbers instead of body marking, finisher's medals, and deep awards. I was especially impressed with everything they did for the Open athletes (a free event). They got all of the treatment and perks that racers of other distances got, and the race director and event staff took a lot of time to make sure every athlete was comfortable, safe, and cared for. I was very impressed with them.




Last updated: 2012-03-08 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:35:12 | 1640 yards | 02m 09s / 100yards
Age Group: 1/1
Overall: 39/58
Performance: Good
Suit:
Course: Two triangular loops around Thompson Bay
Start type: Run Plus: Waves
Water temp: 65F / 18C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Drafting:
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 03:33
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike:
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
01:16:00 | 24.8 miles | 19.58 mile/hr
Age Group: 1/1
Overall: 10/58
Performance: Good
Wind: Some
Course: Out around the island, into the city and into the suburbs to the turnaround - back the same way.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Cornering:
Gear changes: Hills:
Race pace: Drinks:
T2
Time: 01:51
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal
Running
00:59:42 | 06.2 miles | 09m 38s  min/mile
Age Group: 1/1
Overall: 35/58
Performance: Good
Course: To the canal, up the stairs and over London Bridge, down stairs and under the bridge to the other side, back up the stairs, crossing the bridge again, around part of the loop around the island and back the same way.
Keeping cool Good Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5